As we step into this wonderful season of summertime let me remind you of God’s purpose for your lives: You were created to know and enjoy God forever. The first big step to fulfilling our purpose is to be reconciled to God.
Scripture says that all have sinned, and all need to be forgiven. Christ died for our sin. In a sense, Christ took the punishment we deserve. So our journey really begins when we accept the feee gift of salvation that was purchased by Christ’s own blood. If you are reading this letter, you likely have already done that. But perhaps you have not taken this step yet. The good news is that you don’t have to do anything to earn the gift. It’s free. You don’t get salvation by moral effort or religious service. You simply receive it. In so many words we say, God, I need you, I need to be forgiven, thank you for dying for my sin, have mercy on me!
Now, once we place our trust in Jesus we are on the path to becoming like Jesus. We are not reconciled to God but then continue to live the way we used to live. We have a new way of living. In every aspect of our lives the Spirit of God shapes us to become like Christ. He changes our motives. He changes our attitudes. He makes us humble and meek. He makes us generous. He shapes us into people who cheerfully serve others. He puts in us a heart of worship. He teaches us to pray. He trains us to be godly in every part of our lives. It’s a process that carries through our entire lives. For those I pastor at Ren Church, my constant prayer is that we would progress in this great work of being shaped into Christ’s image!
How Are We Changed?
There are many things that shape our lives to become what God wants us to become. Serious devotion to prayer and Bible reading is essential, for example. Through these we learn to listen to God’s voice. He shows us what is out of alignment and what we need to adjust. Another thing that shapes us is affliction. God orchestrates (or allows) a variety of trials in our lives to produce humility and dependence on Him. Trials have a way of purging us and making us people of spiritual depth and character. There’s another vital thing that shapes us that is sometimes overlooked. It is our participation in a local church. This is the design of the Lord. He provides pastors to feed and care for us like a shepherd tends to sheep. He puts us in community to be strengthened, taught, built up, encouraged, and loved by the family of God.
Summertime is fun. I love summer! But we also have to realize that it’s very easy to get pulled away by excessive pleasures and amusements to the point of not making God’s kingdom a priority in our lives. Let’s enjoy summer but be very intentional about orienting our lives around God’s purposes. There’s a time to go away on vacation and get the rest you need. But let’s make every effort to make gathering together on the sabbath a firm priority in our lives.
Sundays upcoming
That said, I’m excited to announce that this Sunday we will have a guest missionary with us to share the Word and his mission work in Mozambique. His name is Joel Charest. Joel and his wife Adrienne have been serving on the mission field for over two decades. As a church, we have supported them for many years. I met Joel while he was just a teen in the late 90s when I was on a preaching tour in western Mass. Joel is the real deal. He has poured his life out to bring God’s love to some of the most impoverished places on earth. Be praying and preparing your hearts to receive from Joel this Sunday!
The following Sunday (June 15th) is Father’s Day, and I’m planning to preach on the famous story of David and Goliath. It’s not really a message with a theme of fathering, but I figured the men would especially enjoy this story. I encourage you to invite someone. And be praying that the Spirit would flow through me to change peoples lives!
June 22nd will be what we call “Family Sunday.” For those who are new to this, we format the service a little differently. Usually, we start with a block of worship and the message is a bit shorter (20-30 mins). Then we break into groups of 4-6 for discussion. Kids from age 4 and up join us in this service. The aim is to bring spiritual nourishment in an interactive way that fosters community. If you are new to doing church like this, just know that it’s a lot of fun.
Glory of Small
Our lives are made up of many activities: doing dishes, working, driving kids to school, changing diapers, responding to emails, shopping, mowing the lawn, and 10,000 other things. I believe that every activity, even the most ordinary and mundane, can be done with great love for the glory of God. While all activities are important, they are not all equal. For example, your personal time spent in the closet of prayer communing with God is more important than the time you spend reading a piece of junk mail. Some activities have more weight and substance, more eternal value. Besides gathering together on Sundays as a church, I believe that gathering in small groups to share life is one of the most important ways to spend our time. It’s been said that discipleship happens best in the context of small groups. If you don’t have a small group of believers you get together regularly with, I encourage you to join a Ren small group. Learn more here.
House of Selah event
One special gathering happening this month on Friday June 20th 7 pm is that we are hosting the worship group House of Selah (formerly, Alonica). They are made up of young, passionate, Gen Z worshippers. Last month I attended one of their gatherings at the Haven space in Warwick and was blown away. The presence of God was strong! These young stars are not just exceptionally talented musically, but they are marked by a fiery devotion to Christ. This event is free and open to all.
Community Meal
Lastly, on the fifth Sunday in June (29th) we will be having another community meal. Doors will be open at 10 am for coffee and pastries. And then between 11-noon we will provide Mediterranean food catered by Beautiful Day, an organization that serves the refugee community in Rhode Island. If the weather is nice we’ll have the meal outside on the grassy area on the side of the building near our cafe. The purpose of having community meals every fifth Sunday is to give space for the church to minister to one another over a meal. The early Christians did this frequently. Scripture says they ate together with glad and sincere hearts. Invite someone!
Pray that we would bear much fruit as a church in June and all summer.
Pray that the glory of God would be manifested in both our large and small gatherings.
Pray that each of us would become more and more like Jesus in every aspect of our lives.
Pray that we’d distribute our time and energy this summer in a way that reflects God’s interests and priorities.
Pray that many would be reconciled to Christ through us. Amen.
—Pastor Scott